The only equation you need to know to be happy is this: Results/Expectations = Happiness. Knowing this equation you can quite easily manipulate people’s moods, feelings about you as a person as well as improve your own happiness.
Work Life: When you start to work on Wall Street or obtain any new job in particular, most people end up raising the bar going into work volunteering for every single activity possible. As you know if most people are doing this, it’s probably a bad idea.
So what should be done instead? The trick is to get people to like you out of the gate instead of immediately making the office view you as the workhorse. You want to be viewed as the interesting, happy person who does not make mistakes. The way to do this is to immediately introduce yourself and try to “click” with people just a level or two above you. Now when that boring assignment comes down the pipeline its unlikely landing on your desk, instead it will be landing on the desk of the workhorse. As always are you hardworking or smart… You can’t be both.
Here are some steps on how to deliver solid results:
Respond to emails quickly: the number one concern for a higher up is “did this person read my email”. Always respond with a “Will Do” email as soon as the task hits your inbox
Copy and paste numbers: if possible, this may be slower than typing but the errors are significantly easier to catch if a decimal moves or you miss the last digit
Do not spin wheels: finish every item you can constantly working and as soon as you’re finished write down all the questions in a single email and send out the clarifications
Get a highlighter: highlight changes to documents so nothing can possible be missed
Never miss deadlines: this is simply unacceptable at all times
Don’t “add value” in the beginning: do what you are told so if something comes up as “odd” your answer will be that you did “exactly as you were told”. That is because you did. When you get older you’ll fix mistakes on the fly, but from day one it is best to do exactly as stated, no one wants to hear the opinion of a fresh face
Automate tasks: usually your Company will have special macros set up, however if there is a task that can be automated… Do it. Create a quick program, similar to copying and pasting numbers, a repeated mistake from a program is easier to catch
Fake Stress. This one takes the most practice and remember that people believe stressed out people are delivering results. You want people to believe you are stressed and working hard at all times at work, however you’re really just updating your Player/Wall Street blog while texting your hook for some good party favors
Here are some steps on how to lower expectations:
Always have other tasks and have this come up multiple times throughout the day. If people assume you’re working on multiple projects the deadline will be pushed out allowing less work creation
Do not volunteer for all work. Volunteer for responsibility.
When you automate a task, do not turn it in early. If everyone assumes it takes 2+ hours, turn it in 10 minutes before that mark… Even though it now takes you less than 1 hour
Remember there is always a difference between lazy and being efficient. Efficient means using your time wisely, lazy simply means nothing gets accomplished. The more time you free up, the more income you can generate.
Personal Life: Over time one of the biggest things that a person can learn is that stress, is simply a form of expectations.When we stress about making rent, making a car payment, or obtaining a new goal it is simply a focus on expecting something. Stress in terms of physical pain from weight lifting, mental pain from grinding all night on a project that’s going to make your bonus check that much sweeter is good stress. Stressing about things you cannot control is for losers.
Here is a quick list on how to increase your own results and lower expectations:
Stop comparing yourself to people. There is nothing to be gained in the process of comparison you’ll always look up, at results (higher than yours) and as such your expectations also increase. There is always someone better, instead every second you spend comparing should actually be spent improving yourself. As soon as you start loading up a comparison in your mind, pick up a book and read or go to the gym and lift. You won’t regret those activities.
Do not overstretch yourself. If you can’t afford an item don’t get it, you’ll have immense buyers remorse
Be honest with yourself and own that activity. If you’re looking to buy a “status symbol” to obtain results it’s likely a bad idea, all good results come from grind. The best example is clothing, no one cares if you have a pair of Gucci loafers if you have a beer belly, expensive clothes aren’t going to cover up an ugly face and body
Your brain is the most important tool you have, use it properly. Use it to reward yourself for things that are forward moving, each girl that rejects you is a win and every approach that you do not make should make your blood boil with disappointment. The difference between an experienced outperforming person and an in-line performance is simply being able to see beyond the end goal. Instead of being happy that you just lifted 200lbs on the bench or had sex with an 8.5, you should be thinking about how many approaches you put in and how many days you went to the gym to clear that 200lb bench
Some of the talking points and bullets covered in here on how to lower expectations and increase results may be a bit confusing as they will certainly seem like conflicting view points for people who are just starting to fix their lives. For a novice it is likely the case that you’re overvaluing the result rather than valuing the process. One day you’re going to wake up and realize that you enjoy the grind of constant improvement, at that point you can’t be stopped.
